Pre-sentence letter to Barack Obama

international | rights, freedoms and repression | news report

Thursday August 22, 2013 09:47

by Justin Morahan

sent by e-mail to US Embassy

Below is a letter to President Barack Obama on the occasion of a protest by Colm Roddy and me outside the US Embassy in Dublin, Wednesday 21 July before Whistleblower Bradley Manning was given a horrendous sentence for telling the truth.

Dear President Barack Obama

I write to you, through your Ambassador in Ireland, as the sentencing of a whistleblower, Bradley Manning is imminent. Bradley is a member of the United States Forces of which you, President Obama, are the Commander-in-Chief. What happens in the US Armed Forces is your responsibility.

When there is heinous wrongdoing happening within your army, you bear the ultimate responsibility for that wrongdoing. If a whistleblower reveals the heinous wrongdoing, it is your duty to protect the whistleblower, to shield her or him from harm and, if possible, honour her or him in order to encourage other whistleblowers and to protect the truth.

What happened in the Baghdad "air strikes" of July 12 2007 was heinous in the extreme. I have seen and perused the video at length but even your own official account is chilling to read.

"When the cameraman on the ground aimed his camera in the direction of Bravo Company 2–16, a pilot remarked "He's getting ready to fire". An Apache maneuvered around a building to get a clear field of fire and shot all nine men, killing eight. " (US Central Command release)

We know that subsequently when a van pulled up to take on board an injured civilian, the Apache opened fire on van and helpers and injured civilian, killing three and wounding two children inside the van. The footage of these events and the accompanying dialogue resembles what one might expect from a seriously deranged horror movie. Bradley revealed the truth of these events. Admittedly he did not report them to his superior officer and later regretted that. But why should that make any difference to you, Mr President? The truth was out. You would be glad that you would be able to stop similar outrages by your forces in the future. You would take the necessary steps to prevent any repetition of the evil-doing of July 12 2007. And you would credit Bradley Manning for helping you to take these steps. Because, as Commander-in-Chief, you do not stand over such atrocities.

Or am I wrong? What did you do?

You allowed (or maybe even ordered) Bradley Manning to be arrested and charged with, among other thing, "aiding the enemy" - an offence that could have draw down the barbarous execution of the accused person. You prejudiced his trial by telling a reporter "He broke the law" at a time when he was not declared guilty of breaking any law. In four words you denied him any chance of a fair trial. Yet, you allowed a trial to proceed.

Meanwhile Bradley Manning was kept under lock and key in chains, subjected to nudity, isolation, harassment, sleep-deprivation - all inhuman punishments bordering on torture. Only international protest ended this inhuman treatment of a prisoner not yet tried in any court.

Now he has been found by a military court to be guilty of lesser charges and today the prosecutors are requesting a sixty year sentence! It is another day of infamy for you and the United States.

Unless, that is, you salvage some credibility by pardoning him, after sentence.

That is my request to you today.

With best personal wishes

Justin Morahan, human rights activist, pacifist.

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Comments (7 of 7)

Protests

Thu Aug 22, 2013 15:16

Colm Roddy protested about Bradley at the US Embassy Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of this week. I joined him there on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The Irish Ant-War Movement are holding a protest there this evening starting at 7.30p.m.

"Impeach now or forever hold up peace" ...

by W. Finnerty

Thu Aug 22, 2013 16:08

"Notable legal experts and scholars from both the left and the right, to include former Democrat US Attorney General Ramsey Clark, former Republican Deputy US Attorney General Bruce Fein, and Professor of Law Francis Boyle, have publicly offered their services to assist in carrying out impeachment proceedings against President Obama over his unconstitutional and otherwise illegal war on Libya to any member of Congress willing to step forward and introduce Articles of Impeachment."

The above excerpt is from the following www location:
http://www.humanrightsireland.com/NationalSecurityAgenc...PEACH

WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH THE JUDICIAL BRANCH OF THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT AND THE LEGAL PROFESSION IT HEADS?

The United States Government and legal profession is even more corrupt than our own in certain respects: which takes some doing!!

Related Google List #1:
"The Judicial Branch of US Government is an oligarchy, Human Rights Ireland ..."
http://tinyurl.com/khzbla7

Related Google List #2:
"President Barack Obama, Fascist Totalitarianism, Human Rights Ireland, Republican Constitutionalism ..."
http://tinyurl.com/kdjtvf9

Our posters are still saying "Bradley". Next time it will be "Chelsea"

Thu Aug 22, 2013 19:50

Colm Roddy and Justin Morahan

US imperialists want to make an example of Bradley.

by fred

Thu Aug 22, 2013 22:29

Obama is worse than Bush ever was. His silver tongue just covered it up. There is no way in hell he'll pardon Bradley Manning. He probably wanted a longer sentence to put a chill in the hearts of other potential whistleblowers. Bradley is a hero but he is going to pay a terrible price for this. At best, he'll get parole after 10 years. But 10 years in a US prison will be hell.

Pics from last night's protest at the US Embassy

Fri Aug 23, 2013 09:25

There was a lively presence at the Embassy from 5.30 yesterday evening. The speeches were short and to the point. IT was nice to welcome Egyptian friends who joined after their own protest was finished

Lorna Bogue with new CHELSEA poster

Chelsea Mannig supporters

Great to see well-known anti-war activists at last night's protest

Tommy Donnelan doing what he does best

Credit to Justin and Co

by W P

Thu Aug 29, 2013 20:36

Well done Justin on this and for all your efforts on behalf of suffering humanity.

Keep up the sterling and the generally thankless work, there-again we know you are not doing it for the go raibh maith agait.

W P and M K

I am bradley manning

by w

Tue Sep 03, 2013 12:34

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Pre-sentence letter to Barack Obama

Comments (7 of 7)